In 2010, Untappd Founder Greg Avola had an idea: Build a social platform for the craft beer community.<\/p>\n
Avola had impeccable timing. Because while \u201cLike a G6\u201d ran on repeat, Twilight still hadn\u2019t stopped making movies, and the Gordon Ramsay-led MasterChef aired for the first time in the U.S., craft beer bubbled and brewed in the background. <\/p>\n
And while beer may not have been as catchy as playing Angry Birds on your iPhone 4, smartphones and countless apps continued to grow in popularity. <\/p>\n
Avola and his co-founder, Tim Mather, wanted to combine the two to create a social platform focused solely on craft beer. <\/p>\n
In September 2010, they released the first Untappd prototype in a private beta. Untappd has come a long way in its lucky fourteen years. Today, you can post photos, enjoy Untappd in Dark Mode<\/a>, earn badges, and purchase beer boxes.<\/p>\n Oh, and you can even buy beer on the app now<\/a>! <\/p>\n Over these last fifteen years, Untappd has grown into the world\u2019s largest digital platform for craft beer. (Psst: 11 billion registered members of the community.) <\/p>\n So when a beer hits a coveted 5.0 rating on the app, you know it has some cultural cache. <\/p>\n Which is why, to celebrate Untappd\u2019s fifteenth go around the proverbial Internet sun, we looked at the beers currently pulling in a 5.0 ranking in 2025 and gave our two cents (for what it\u2019s worth) on what makes them some of the highest-rated beers on Untappd this year. <\/p>\n Editor\u2019s Note: The statistics for these rankings come straight from Untappd\u2019s platform and only represent craft breweries. We are simply presenting them here. If you disagree with something, we hear ya, but the facts don\u2019t lie!<\/em><\/p>\n Number of 5-Star Check-Ins: 9,677<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Photography courtesy of @russianriverbrewingofficial<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Double IPA<\/strong> \u2013 It\u2019s not surprising the first-ever double IPA in the country, and one of the most iconic American beers<\/a>, holds the top spot here by a good mile with over 9.6k five-star check-ins on Untappd in 2025, a huge increase from its 7.5K in 2024. <\/p>\n What is surprising, though, is that a beer initially imagined in the mid-\u201990s when Russian River Brewing Co-Founder Vinnie Cilurzo worked at Blind Pig Brewing has received rave reviews from fans for decades.<\/p>\n Actually, it all makes complete sense. Because this is a legendary beer!<\/p>\n Pliny the Elder<\/a> gets its name from Pliny, a man who lived during the first century, 23 to 79 A.D. According to brewing history, Pliny and several others invented the botanical name Lupus Salictarius<\/em>, aka hops. <\/p>\n And speaking of hops\u2026<\/p>\n Brewed with Amarillo, Centennial, CTZ, and Simcoe hops, Pliny the Elder<\/a> is a classic double IPA, well balanced with pine, resin, and citrus hop aromas with a lingering, dry finish. This trendsetting imperial IPA is slightly bitter with a bouquet of floral hops, citrus, and pine. Brewed in limited quantities, Pliny the Elder is best enjoyed fresh. <\/p>\n Setting the standard for double IPAs, Pliny the Elder has won countless awards and continues to be the brewery\u2019s most popular beer.<\/p>\n Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n Number of 5-Star Check-Ins: 5,841<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Photography courtesy of @alch3mistb33r<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Double IPA<\/strong> \u2013 Another all-American classic, Heady Topper<\/a> checks in second on this list for the second year in a row with 5.8k total five-star check-ins. <\/p>\n We could see a trend on this list, paralleling some of the most iconic beers in American history.<\/p>\n John and Jen Kimmich opened The Alchemist Pub and Brewery<\/a> in Waterbury, VT, with only about four or five rotating beers, including Heady Topper. <\/p>\n John brewed the now-infamous double IPA just two months after opening. But the beer didn\u2019t take off right away. At the time, The Alchemist thrived locally, with little national presence. And most beers, like Heady Topper, were only available on draft at The Alchemist\u2019s 7-bbl brewpub. The limited distribution ensured freshness while increasing the beer\u2019s rarity and creating its \u201cunicorn\u201d status.<\/p>\n Everything changed when Tropical Storm Irene caused a flood that put the pub out of business in August 2011. <\/p>\n That\u2019s when John turned all his attention to Heady Topper, canning the now-iconic double IPA right after the flood in The Alchemist\u2019s production space. <\/p>\n It was one of his smartest moves.<\/p>\n Arguably, this beer catapulted The Alchemist into craft brewing lore. Most likely, if you mention The Alchemist, it\u2019s followed quickly by the words \u201cHeady Topper.\u201d Today, it\u2019s one of the most famous breweries in the world. And Heady Topper is one of the most famous beers. <\/p>\n And for good reason. <\/p>\n Heady Topper is a hoppy, American double IPA clocking in at 8% ABV. If you read the can, it instructs the drinker to consume the dank goodness straight from the aluminum to preserve the flavor. <\/p>\n Today, Heady Topper is much more readily available, but it is still one of those life-changing beers, which is probably why it garnered so many five-star check-ins on Untappd this year. <\/p>\n Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n Number of 5-Star Check-Ins: 5,773<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Photography courtesy of @yuenglingbeer<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Amber Lager<\/strong> \u2013 Established in 1829, D.G. Yuengling & Son technically holds the title of the oldest operating brewery in the whole United States. According to the Brewers Association, Yuengling holds the top spot for producing the most volume in the country. <\/p>\n Most of which is their iconic Yuengling Lager. Considered an amber lager, Yuengling\u2019s slightly toasty and roasted red masterpiece (thanks to caramel malt) comes from a historic recipe resurrected in 1987. A combination of Cluster and Cascade hops provides the floral balance to the malt\u2019s perceived sweetness. Everything combines for a very distinct character. <\/p>\n A true classic, Yuengling Lager collected over 5.7k five-star check-ins this year, proving that sometimes folks just want a beer that\u2026tastes like beer. Hey, if it ain\u2019t broke, don\u2019t fix it! <\/p>\n Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n Number of 5-Star Check-Ins: 3,872<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Photography courtesy of @3floydsbrewing<\/p>\n<\/div>\n American Pale Ale<\/strong> \u2013 First released in 2010, Three Floyds\u2019 Zombie Dust<\/a> features a now well-recognized hop that had just come on the market a mere three years earlier\u2014Citra. And only Citra. <\/p>\n This SMaSH American pale ale captured the juicy, citrusy flavor profile of Citra perfectly. <\/p>\n Today, thousands of beers have showcased Citra, but Zombie Dust is like one of the OGs. <\/p>\n At only 6.2% ABV and 50 IBUs, Zombie Dust gained popularity because it\u2019s just a damn-well-made beer that doesn\u2019t overload your palate with dankness but instead brightens it with orange, tangerine, and clementine. And at a time when people started reaching higher and higher IBU heights, Zombie Dust stood out like the working person\u2019s beer\u2014nothing too fancy, but everything just right.<\/p>\n It\u2019s great to see this classic continue to dominate, with 3.8k five-star check-ins on Untappd this year. But this is a pretty significant dip from 5.5k in 2024. <\/p>\n SHOP THIS BEER<\/a><\/p>\n Number of 5-Star Check-Ins: 3,281<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Photography courtesy of Bell\u2019s Brewery<\/p>\n<\/div>\n American IPA<\/strong> \u2013 One of the most revered beers at one of the most revered breweries in the country, Bell\u2019s Two Hearted IPA<\/a> was crowned the \u201cBest Beer in America<\/a>\u201d in a survey conducted by Zymurgy Magazine for four years in a row. In 2017, Two Hearted actually bumped off Pliny the Elder for the title of Best Beer in America. And since then, Bell\u2019s hasn\u2019t looked back.<\/p>\n It\u2019s an incredible achievement for Larry Bell, the now-retired founder of Bell\u2019s, who started the Michigan-based brewery in the early 1980s with only a 15-gallon soup pot.<\/p>\n The story of Bell\u2019s Two Hearted<\/a> begins with a single hop and a single brewer. In 1992, Bell\u2019s brewer Rob Skalla began experimenting with a single-hop recipe. Three years later, he suggested to Larry Bell that the brewery try making an all-Centennial IPA.<\/p>\n At the time, Centennial hops had started to pick up some steam. Officially recognized as a hop in 1989 and named Centennial after Washington State\u2019s 100th birthday, these Pacific Northwest hops became known for their aromatic pine, citrus, and floral notes.<\/p>\n Bell\u2019s officially brewed the first batch of Two Hearted in 1997, but only as a winter seasonal. It\u2019d take six more years before Two Hearted became a year-round offering.<\/p>\n By 2004, John Mallett had taken over as Bell\u2019s Brewmaster (he officially came to Bell\u2019s in 2001). And during his two-decade tenure, Mallett and his brewing team perfected Two Hearted.<\/p>\n Named after the Two Hearted River in Michigan\u2019s Upper Peninsula, Bell\u2019s Two Hearted has wound its way into the hearts of consumers across the country.<\/p>\n Packed with hop aromas from grapefruit to pine and brewed with one hundred percent Centennial hops originating from the Pacific Northwest, Two Hearted is pure beer gold.<\/p>\n Today, the current version of Two Hearted ranks as Bell\u2019s best-seller, and it\u2019s clear why this all-Centennial American IPA is iconic, with its 3.2k 5-star check-ins on Untappd. <\/p>\n Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n Number of 5-Star Check-Ins: 3,135<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Yes, we took this picture on the bus. We know it\u2019s not pretty, but hey, we got a chance to try Westie 12, and we weren\u2019t going to say no!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Belgian Quadrupel<\/strong> \u2013 Brewed by The Trappist monks of the St. Sixtus\u2019 Abbey at The Brouwerij De Sint-Sixtusabdij<\/a> in Vleteren, Belgium<\/a>, in such small quantities that this Belgian quad rose to rare fandom on the sheer absence of production.<\/p>\n The monks brew Westie 12<\/a>, as it\u2019s affectionately known in the industry, once a week as a way to make money for their abbey. Sold only once a month, either at the door of the monastery or a no-nonsense tavern across the street, Westie 12 vaulted to the top of any craft beer connoisseur\u2019s bucket list simply because of the laundry list of steps and a dash of luck you\u2019d need to try a sip from these unmarked bottles. <\/p>\n But it\u2019s also the taste\u2014as we can attest.<\/p>\n Funny story: Hop Culture Senior Content Editor Grace Lee-Weitz\u2019s first taste of Trappist Westvleteren 12, one of the rarest beers in the world<\/a>, happened on a bus in Belgium several years ago. <\/p>\n Part of a group traveling to Belgium to tour breweries in this historic beer country, Lee-Weitz visited many Belgian breweries, including Drie Fonteinen, Cantillon, and Orval (see later in this list). <\/p>\n But Brouwerij De Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren only opens infrequently. So, while the group couldn\u2019t actually visit the brewery, one of the tour leaders broke off to pick up fresh bottles for everyone to share on the bus. <\/p>\n And at 9 a.m. (no joke), Lee-Weitz clinked her bus chalice with several others in the back of the bus and said, \u201cCheers!\u201d drinking her first sip of Westie 12 as the bus chugged along to Rodenbach. <\/p>\n And the rating she gave the beer: 5.0!<\/p>\n (Honestly, we can\u2019t make up this type of content.)<\/p>\n \u201cPours a Coca-Cola molasses color,\u201d she wrote in her notes. \u201cSmooth as black velvet or the surface of a lake in the morning, Westvleteren 12 had great notes of chocolate cherry and almost no hint of booze despite hitting a 10.2% ABV. One of the best beers I\u2019ve ever tried!\u201d <\/p>\n While one of the rarest beers in the world captured the number three spot on this list in 2023, it actually dropped a couple of notches to hold at fifth in 2024, and fell one more notch to number six in 2025. <\/p>\n Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n Number of 5-Star Check-Ins: 2,681<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Photography courtesy of @duvel_belgium<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Belgian Strong Golden Ale<\/strong> \u2013 This beer seems simple from the outside\u2014a combination of pure spring water, barley, and Slovenian and Czech hops. But Duvel Moortgat brews this Belgian strong golden ale with precision and meticulous attention to detail. <\/p>\n The beer takes ninety days to make, fermenting the ale in tanks from twenty to twenty-six degrees Celsius with an original house yeast strain that, according to Duvel, Victor Moortgat, son of founder Jan-Leonard Moortgat, selected himself from Scotland in the 1920s! <\/p>\n Only after maturing in storage tanks and cooling down to negative two degrees Celsius is Duvel<\/a> finally ready to bottle, adding extra sugar for a two-week secondary fermentation as the beer warms again to twenty-four degrees Celsius. <\/p>\n See, making Duval is an exact science. And it\u2019s not finished. <\/p>\n A further six-week lagering in cold cellars ensures this Belgian strong golden ale tastes like none other in the world. <\/p>\n Which is why 2,681 people gave Duvel a 5.0 rating on Untappd this year.<\/p>\n SHOP THIS BEER<\/a><\/p>\n Number of 5-Star Check-Ins: 2,601<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Photography courtesy of Augustiner-Br\u00e4u<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Helles<\/strong> \u2013 A newcomer to last year\u2019s rankings, Lagerbier Hell actually moved up a couple of spots to eight. From Munich\u2019s oldest brewery, Augustiner-Br\u00e4u, which dates back to 1328, this highly coveted helles is sort of considered the Bavarian answer to the Czech pilsner. Lagerbier Hell perfectly encapsulates the helles style\u2014clean, crisp, slightly malty, and undeniably drinkable. <\/p>\n Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n Number of 5-Star Check-Ins: 2,459<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Photography courtesy of @alch3mistb33r<\/p>\n<\/div>\n American IPA<\/strong> \u2013 The Joker had Harley Quinn; Scooby Doo had Shaggy; Batman had Robin. Even the most iconic heroes and villains had sidekicks. Which is why we love seeing Focal Banger<\/a> on this list because, yes, Heady Topper is an incredible beer, but so is this American IPA that\u2019s often overshadowed by its epic counterpart. <\/p>\n Despite the hype of Heady Topper, Focal Banger actually holds its own as a bangin\u2019 beer, nabbing 2.4k five-star check-ins on Untappd just this year. <\/p>\n Featuring Citra and Mosaic hops, Focal Banger pours a gorgeous, slightly hazy yellow with tropical fruit and honeydew aromas. <\/p>\n Definitely on the more assertive bitterness side, with 90 IBUs, Focal Banger mellows out with equally punchy powers of grapefruit and pineapple. <\/p>\n Making this list proves that Focal Banger is way more than just a beer sidekick. <\/p>\n Learn More<\/a><\/p>\n Number of 5-Star Check-Ins: 2,171<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Photography courtesy of Magic Muncie, Social Media Manager, Hop Culture<\/p>\n<\/div>\n American IPA<\/strong> \u2013 Surprisingly, this is Julius\u2019 first time on this top-ten list. One of Untappd\u2019s All-Time Top-Rated American IPAs, Julius<\/a> is Tree House\u2019s flagship American IPA, bursting with tropical American hops and pops of mango, peach, and passionfruit. <\/p>\n Like most of Tree House\u2019s hoppy ales, Julius drinks with a dreamy, creamy mouthfeel that \u201censures Julius will never tire the palate,\u201d writes Tree House. \u201cA true joy to drink!\u201d <\/p>\n When we think of American IPAs and this entire style, Julius always comes to mind. This is a classic that can do no wrong. Which is probably why 2.1k folks agree, giving it a 5-star rating on Untappd. <\/p>\nUntappd\u2019s Beers With the Most 5-Star Check-Ins of 2025<\/h2>\n
1. Pliny the Elder \u2013 Russian River Brewing Company<\/h3>\n
![\"russian](\"https:\/\/www.hopculture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/russian-river-brewing-company-pliny-the-elder-double-ipa-and-blind-pig-credit-@russianriverbrewingofficial-1000x1000-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n2. Heady Topper \u2013 The Alchemist<\/h3>\n
![\"the](\"https:\/\/www.hopculture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/the-alchemist-heady-topper-double-ipa-credit-@alch3mistb33r-1000x750-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n3. Traditional Lager \u2013 Yuengling Brewery<\/h3>\n
![\"yuengling](\"https:\/\/www.hopculture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/yuengling-brewery-traditional-lager-1000x800-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n4. Zombie Dust \u2013 3 Floyds Brewing<\/h3>\n
![\"3](\"https:\/\/www.hopculture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/3-floyds-brewing-zombie-dust-@3floydsbrewing-1000x1000-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n5. Two Hearted \u2013 Bell\u2019s Brewery<\/h3>\n
![\"bell's](\"http:\/\/www.hopculture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/bellsbrewery-two-hearted14-1000x670-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n6. Trappist Westvleteren 12 \u2013 Brouwerij De Sint-Sixtusabdij van Westvleteren<\/h3>\n
![\"brouwerij](\"https:\/\/www.hopculture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/brouwerij-de-sint-sixtusabdij-van-westvleteren-trappist-westvleteren-12-belgian-quad-1000x950-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n7. Duvel \u2013 Duvel Moortgat<\/h3>\n
![\"duvel](\"https:\/\/www.hopculture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/duvel-belgian-strong-golden-ale-credit-@duvel_belgium-1000x1250-1-819x1024.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n8. Lagerbier Hell \u2013 Augustiner-Bra\u00fc M\u00fcnchen<\/h3>\n
![\"augustiner-br\u00e4u](\"https:\/\/www.hopculture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/augustiner-brau-lagerbier-hell-helles-1000x1250-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n9. Focal Banger \u2013 The Alchemist<\/h3>\n
![\"the](\"https:\/\/www.hopculture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/the-alchemist-focal-banger-ipa-credit-@alch3mistb33r-1000x667-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n10. Julius \u2013 Tree House Brewing Company<\/h3>\n
![\"tree](\"http:\/\/www.hopculture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/treehouse-brewing-company-king-julius-credit-magic-muncie-hop-culture-1000x1250-1-819x1024.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n